[Suspicion] BBM Video & Skype

Even though Blackberry has lost a lot of it's former glory, one thing is certain, BBM is still one of the most well known reasons why Blackberry is still relevant. I mean, on a daily basis people use this thing like crazy and pretty much anyone who still has a Blackberry and hasn't switched to another platform will say it as something to do with BBM. I agree there is whatsapp and other cross platform messengers but BBM just seems to have an edge over the rest.

For a few months now I have been seeing around the inter-webs and the forum here on CB about BBM video. I believe it's a great addition to the already well established chat app. With BBM video, I see one flaw, it only works on Blackberry. Now in itself that isn't a bad thing, but not being cross platform and not having a desktop version I believe is hurting it. This is why so many people are craving for Skype. It is a simple but effect application. On any pretty much every "relevant" computing device, Skype can be found.

I have seen topics here in the forum where folks are looking at leaked images of the application grid, in search of a Skype icon, myself included. Guess the entire process is fun.

I am now wondering, with a well established chat application like BBM, adding video would be great, but what if we don't ever see a Skype icon on Blackberry 10, but still have Skype functionality and access. RIM is about building partnerships. The licensed the camera feature from Scalado before being purchased buy Nokia. So, isn't it possible for RIM to acquire licenses from Microsoft to get Skype on Blackberry 10, Integrate it into BBM so they keep their uniqueness yet still have access to desktop users as well as other platforms?

I know this may seem like a long shot, but what if it were possible? Some may say this is berry-holic wish banter, but isn't this possible? With Skype fields being seeing in the documentation recently I believe it may be possible.

Definitely a possibility. RIM is integrating a lot of the major social networking into BB10 so they may take the same approach with Skype. I don't care how they do it, as long as a BB10 device can access Skype.

BBM Does not use any data from a plan for sending audio, pictures or just messaging. That's WHY it's always relevant. Why would rim want to license Skype to integrate into BBM makes no sense to throw away money. Rim has their own video client to add into BBM. When Skype makes it to Blackberry it will be a separate App. Personally i don't see why everyone is so horny for it i never use it and have no interest too.

Just like Apple has Facetime Rim has the TRUE BBM platform. Even though apple essentially tried to copy BBM it is still light years behind.

Skype will be there just to please people like you but the majority of people couldn't care less about it. They will do it to make users happy so they have less to whine about at launch.

BBM Does not use any data from a plan for sending audio, pictures or just messaging. That's WHY it's always relevant. Why would rim want to license Skype to integrate into BBM makes no sense to throw away money. Rim has their own video client to add into BBM. When Skype makes it to Blackberry it will be a separate App. Personally i don't see why everyone is so horny for it i never use it and have no interest too.

Just like Apple has Facetime Rim has the TRUE BBM platform. Even though apple essentially tried to copy BBM it is still light years behind.

Skype will be there just to please people like you but the majority of people couldn't care less about it. They will do it to make users happy so they have less to whine about at launch.

Friendly suspicion here.. that's all dude... Not sure u get the true sense of my original post. I agree Skype and other apps shouldn't be the end all and be all of a platform, unfortunately, it comes over this way. You may not use Skype but there are many more people who do than don't so it has it importance. Deny that and you're fooling yourself.

Get that RIM makes one false step and the media will bury them and the new platform. So with that in mind, why wouldn't RIM do partnerships to get certain functionality on their phones. They did it with the Camera app, isn't the keyboard built based on Swiftkey? and didn't they link with MS for activsync? RIM has already made partnerships, a few extra dollars now to help make sure they are over the edge isn't useless but smart business

As I told them 9 months ago in the beta forums, they should create a universal video chat client that also works with BBM. For example, if you don't have a BB, you can visit a website and still connect to any other person who does have a BB. Think aim.com/av, that sort of thing.

The deal with BBM and keeping it proprietary is,it is making them hundreds of millions of dollars in emerging markets. It is a prime differentiater. Cross-platform? Who cares? Nothing compares to BBM.
Cross - platform can come later. When the smoke clears, it may no longer matter.
I don't know anybody who uses Skype in their personal life.
But. I feel confident that it will be there at BB 10 launch. Microsoft isn't doing that well. And. They have long had a reciprocal relationship with BlackBerry. If they want Bing as default browser, then Skype may well be the cost...
#BB10Believe

Even though Blackberry has lost a lot of it's former glory, one thing is certain, BBM is still one of the most well known reasons why Blackberry is still relevant. I mean, on a daily basis people use this thing like crazy and pretty much anyone who still has a Blackberry and hasn't switched to another platform will say it as something to do with BBM. I agree there is whatsapp and other cross platform messengers but BBM just seems to have an edge over the rest.

For a few months now I have been seeing around the inter-webs and the forum here on CB about BBM video. I believe it's a great addition to the already well established chat app. With BBM video, I see one flaw, it only works on Blackberry. Now in itself that isn't a bad thing, but not being cross platform and not having a desktop version I believe is hurting it. This is why so many people are craving for Skype. It is a simple but effect application. On any pretty much every "relevant" computing device, Skype can be found.

I have seen topics here in the forum where folks are looking at leaked images of the application grid, in search of a Skype icon, myself included. Guess the entire process is fun.

I am now wondering, with a well established chat application like BBM, adding video would be great, but what if we don't ever see a Skype icon on Blackberry 10, but still have Skype functionality and access. RIM is about building partnerships. The licensed the camera feature from Scalado before being purchased buy Nokia. So, isn't it possible for RIM to acquire licenses from Microsoft to get Skype on Blackberry 10, Integrate it into BBM so they keep their uniqueness yet still have access to desktop users as well as other platforms?

I know this may seem like a long shot, but what if it were possible? Some may say this is berry-holic wish banter, but isn't this possible? With Skype fields being seeing in the documentation recently I believe it may be possible.

Anyone else see this as even a slight possibility?

this would actually make sense ................ flow anyone. ...........

Does apple let you talk to other facetime users if you have a Blackberry or Android Device? No because it's a selling feature..Regardless skype will be coming to BB10 so who cares...lol

Its not about facetiming users on another platform. Skype isn't tied down to any platform so that's irrelevant. It would be awesome for the people that actually care about skype to be able to video chat them while still within the BBM application. It makes the application infinitely more useful and bbm still exclusive to RIM. Its a win-win...

As I told them 9 months ago in the beta forums, they should create a universal video chat client that also works with BBM. For example, if you don't have a BB, you can visit a website and still connect to any other person who does have a BB. Think aim.com/av, that sort of thing.

I was going to say something very similar. Blackberry could even build applications for the other platforms to access the BlackBerry video chat!

[Suspicion] BBM Video & Skype

BlackBerry has always supported Yahoo Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, Google Talk (chat) etc. So, I think the "Skype" field that has been spotted is simply because Microsoft has shutdown Windows Messenger and switched to Skype as their messenger. So, the Skype is the new windows messenger. So, just because there is a Skype field, it doesn't mean that RIM is giving us ability to voice/video chat using Skype. It could be just text-based-chat like we used to have in Windows Messenger. No voice, no video.

That said, I wish they'd allow full Skype (with video and voice). It may not be most-used app but it's one of the most downloaded apps on other platforms. People want it even if they don't use it much. And for RIM to succeed, it's important that they support as many top-downloaded/top-voted/most-used apps at launch. They haven't released a new phone in over a year and have had plenty of time to work on their new QNX based BB 10. So, I hope they get it done in-time. If top-app makers are not keen on developing for BB 10, RIM can do the development for them. RIM already develops the Facebook, Twitter etc app internally. It could do the same for Skype, Kindle, Netflix, Hulu etc.

Cross platform video chat is cool on a mobile phone but Imo its not a necessity. When and if I find myself without a laptop or tablet and have to communicate something that email, text or instant messaging can't get across, I will then use Skype and if it's not there ill use one of the many other cross platform video chat clients that will be available.

To be honest people who tell me Skype is a make or break app in choosing a phone, come off slightly delusional to me.

Re: [Suspicion] BBM Video & Skype

Originally Posted by BB-Bmore

Cross platform video chat is cool on a mobile phone but Imo its not a necessity. When and if I find myself without a laptop or tablet and have to communicate something that email, text or instant messaging can't get across, I will then use Skype and if it's not there ill use one of the many other cross platform video chat clients that will be available.

To be honest people who tell me Skype is a make or break app in choosing a phone, come off slightly delusional to me.

Agree. Skype is good to have no doubt but it is not the show stopper. we all know Microsoft owns Skype so realistically what is the chance of BB10 will have Skype at launch. I think we all know the answer: Zero. So the sooner we accept this fact and focus on more realistic features of BB10, the less heartache we have. Perhaps when BB10 is a hit and its user base grows considerably, Skype will rethink their strategy.

Cross platform video chat is cool on a mobile phone but Imo its not a necessity. When and if I find myself without a laptop or tablet and have to communicate something that email, text or instant messaging can't get across, I will then use Skype and if it's not there ill use one of the many other cross platform video chat clients that will be available.

To be honest people who tell me Skype is a make or break app in choosing a phone, come off slightly delusional to me.

Yeah but a cross platform app was/is needed with the Playbook. That front camera is basically useless, and the built in Video chat app is a video to nowhere because of the miniscule number of Playbooks used. I've used the native chat only once, as a test to see if it even works with the one other person I know with a Playbook. I use my Playbook a lot more than Mac around the house and something like Skype would be nice to video chat with my parents or sister cause that is what they use from there PC's, and they don't own Blackberry devices. I don't see Skype being as needed on the phone for me personally too much, but it should have been there on the Playbook. Sure there are other apps out there, but Skype has the largest user base.

BBM based video chat will eventually become useful, but in the beginning will be fairly useless (like the native on the Playbook) until BlackBerry sells enough BB10 devices to get a good number of devices out there, but you will never have a all BlackBerry world with everyone you know using it. I'll have it for my immediate family (wife and 3 sons) because I'm in control of the devices that group of people has (but even then I won't be able to get everyone on BB10 till end of summer anyways), but extended family, friends, etc., will probably be more iPhones and Androids, at least for a while. It is all about options and there needs to be options to video chat outside of the Blackberry ecosystem and right now Skype is the most universal solution for that based on types devices covered and user base.

To be honest people who tell me Skype is a make or break app in choosing a phone, come off slightly delusional to me.

I don't want Skype on my phone... but I DO want Skype on my tablet. One of the primary reasons for purchasing my first PlayBook (early-ish adopter - paid a lot of bucks), was that RIM Execs had spouted that PlayBook would have Skype (of course, I have now realised that they didn't say when PlayBook would have Skype....)

On some consultancy contracts I use Skype every day, on other contracts not at all. This means I have to lug around a heavy laptop for one reason only... most of my day-trip work can be done on the PlayBook (presentations, email, review documentation, etc) - unfortunately, if the client wants Skype communication (especially video conferences - and a lot of the clients do want this) then I need to take the laptop.

Different users, different business needs....

Note: the only people I know who use Skype on a BlackBerry use it for international calls (international calling on a UK mobile is very expensive), and have never indicated they want video chat on their handsets

Passport (SQW100) unlocked - EE (UK) sim-only contract - BB10 OS Software Release 10.3.1.1779 - BB10 OS Version 10.3.1.2576
PlayBook 64Gb - 2.1.0.1917 (and another spare PB 64Gb for contingency)..... and a Doro PhoneEasy 622 on Vodafone UK PAYG for when I have to take the really strong back tablets that make your fingers numb or if the Passport/EE4G knacks up....
(btw Doro make great simple big-button handsets for seniors and those of us with reduced feeling in our fingertips.....)

CrackBerry is in no way Affiliated with BlackBerry. We take pride in our unbiased content, however do occasionally receive free products from vendors that we review or discuss. For more info click here.